Author
Topic: Random tarot tips/advice/Q&A (Read 379 times)

I have been thinking about putting together a comprehensive list of card meanings, tips, etc. to help those who are learning to read tarot. B ut I haven't had time to put something together. So I thought maybe I would just start posting random advice about things that come to mind. And if anyone has questions about how to read, card meanings, etc. I would be happy to answer if I can. Everyone else feel free to pitch in with advice as well.

I feel like the easiest way to do a reading, if you are not familiar with card meanings or find them confusing, is to just look at the pictures on the cards. Especially notice the people on the cards and how they relate to each other in the spread. Like are they side by side, above/below, looking at each other or have their backs turned. What are they looking at. What are they doing. Sometimes the figures might even appear to move in your third eye vision.

Also the easiest way to learn tarot, or stay in practice, us to read regularly on things you already know the answers to. I do this regularly for practice even though I have been reading for 23 years. It helps me relate to the cards better and see what they symbolize for me. I think we always have blind spots when we read for ourselves but when you practice regularly it helps you see where those blind spots are.

When it comes to card meanngs I sometimes take very offbeat interpretations. You can often take very literal meanings off of the pictures on the cards, but if you look deeper, many times there is a double meaning or irony in what the cards are saying. It's kind of like when you hear a pop song that sounds really happy and upbeat but when you listen to the lyrics, the story it tells is really sad or angry. Tarot can be like that too, like you can get cards that seem upbeat and positive, but when you see how they are arranged it is showing a darker side to the situation. Or the other way around, the cards can seem really dire or unpleasant, but there is a silver lining.

When it comes to individual card meanings, sometimes I take really offbeat interpretations. I don't necessarily think of any of the cards as positive or negative. They are basically neutral and they just symbolize different types of energy and experiences. How those things play out depends on the context of the whole reading and how all of the cards relate to each other. Swords is not a bad suit, depending on the situation, maybe you need swords. Like if you need Justice then it may be good to have swords in the reading.

If a card is ill-dignified it can dramatically alter the usual meaning. For instance if Queen of Wands is surrounded by pentacles she is out of her element. That might have some positive aspects like gaining more stability or money coming in, but it could also mean feeling frustrated by things that are slow moving.

When court cards of different suits show up together, it can sometimes refer to different sides of the same person. I asked about a man who I know is attracted to me but won't do anything about it. It showed him as King of wands looking one way (which represents his basic personality as a fire sign) and Knight of cups looking the other way. The knight of cups was looking at the Ace of cups reversed, showing he poured out his feelings. As the King he turned his back on it. If I didn't already know the outcome I might have thought the Knight would still be coming towards me, or that it represented someone else coming.

The cards in the end or outcome position don't always tell the precise outcome. For instance if you see 8 of cups next to the outcome maybe it means someone is actually walking away from that outcome and looking for something else. When you have a low number as an outcome card, like an Ace or two, or Magician, look to see if the higher number cards reference an outcome. 9s/10s or high major arcana often refer more to outcomes. Sometimes a spread does not show events in a linear way, or it can show you things are going to happen in a roundabout way. High Priestess as the outcome is seen as a classic sign that the outcome may be a mystery but if you look at the higher number cards it may tell you anyway.

Also the "you" position in a spread may not refer to you but someone else who is important to you or your question. Spread positions can be fluid or changeable sometimes. This is because the cards may show you something more accurately by landing a different way (again depending on who/what they are looking at or moving toward.)

The other day I pulled the devil card with the hierophant right next to it. The query was how someone thinks about a certain person (smh meaning my POI towards me). I use Spellcasters Tarot, and the symbolism with those two cards next to each other was extreme. I can’t quite figure out what it’s implying, although I have a few guesses. I’ve attached photos to show just how uncanny those two cards “feel” next to each other. I’d love to hear ideas!

The other day I pulled the devil card with the hierophant right next to it. The query was how someone thinks about a certain person (smh meaning my POI towards me). I use Spellcasters Tarot, and the symbolism with those two cards next to each other was extreme. I can’t quite figure out what it’s implying, although I have a few guesses. I’ve attached photos to show just how uncanny those two cards “feel” next to each other. I’d love to hear ideas!

Wow...yeah those two cards feel really intense together. Especially from Spellcasters which is a deck I'm not familiar with but the imagery is vivid. And a bit different from standard decks. Usually the people kneeling before the Hierophant are clothed while the ones with the Devil are not. It's a reference to the Garden of Eden and how Adam and Eve became aware that they were naked. Usually the couple are standing upright on the Devil and the chains are loose enough that they could throw them off but they don't. Like they are willing and almost proud to be in the state they are in. Here they really don't seem to have a choice, the collars are tight...yet, hmmn, the woman is chained with a flowering vine that she could surely break if she wanted to leave. But the chains are so short they can't even stand up.

Then on the Hierophant, the red cross and blocked out face reminds me of the Knights Templar. The hat points to an all-seeing eye in the pyramid. Strong reference to authority, domination, submission. On standard decks the people are not necessarily kneeling, it's a bit ambiguous, and there is no physical threat. But here, they are plainly kneeling before the whip. It's much more physical than how this card looks in other decks where the idea of authority and social hierarchy is more abstract. Here it is VERY physical and action oriented. It kind of makes you wonder how did this couple get here, why are they here, what did they do and what happens next. It's like they are being judged for something.

Okay...feelings...both cards show states of profound vulnerability. Feeling naked, vulnerable, maybe feeling powerless or trapped in some sense. I would guess there is a strong attraction and it seems totally mutual. But maybe it is so strong, it might be kind of overwhelming. Like it could make you question, how do I handle this. It might be something that other people notice.

The contrast between these two cards...again in traditional decks...is the Hierophant is very much about wanting to do the right thing. Doing what is right in the eyes of society, parents, community, elders, etc. It has a lot to do with what other people think.The Devil can be very much the opposite of that. It can be about deciding to go against what others think, but knowing that come what may you are in it together. In this deck, the woman seems very aware of being watched though, and alarmed by it, while the man is just indulging himself and not paying any mind to that. He's also not really paying much attention to her. He is focused on himself and his own pleasure.

When these two cards come up together, it can mean there is a conflict between wanting different things. It's like the cards are portraying a similar situation but with very different outcomes. The conflict could be that these two people who are portrayed on the cards want different things, or it could be a conflict within one of those people. Like do you walk the straight and narrow, or do you go on the wild side. It could even be where someone has two different sides to themselves or they act one way during the day and another way when they go out at night. It could even be a Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde type of persona. They could be very good at keeping these two sides separated. So for feelings I would wonder if they compartmentalize their feelings.

For feelings, The Hierophant can mean suppressing feelings or putting those feelings aside, especially for sake of appearances or social propriety. The Devil seems like it could mean the opposite, going with what you feel, but it's often much more about denial. It can be someone wanting to avoid their genuine feelings by focusing on something materialistic or hedonistic. The Devil can also mean feeling strongly attached to someone but taking it for granted, like when a man calls his wife "the old ball and chain." When it comes to feelings, the Devil tends to mean that feelings run deep, but it runs so deep that the person may be able to distance themselves from it or numb it out. Maybe they put things out of their mind. It can mean someone going through the motions, acting on instinct, not being fully present. The Hierophant is much more about being present and aware of what is going on and what the potential consequences are. It can refer to a person who meditates or prays or focuses a lot of concentration on something. It can mean using the power of the mind to control feelings.

I also wonder, when I see these two cards together, if there are other people or circumstances interfering between two people...rarely anything like a third party love interest, but it could be something like friends who meddle, or parents who disapprove. Or a situation where people who work together have to keep things quiet at work. It could be that both people work long hours or go to school and are constantly busy. It could even be something like a legal issue that gets in the way. There's just something about how both cards have something standing over the couple and more or less determining their fate.

The other day I pulled the devil card with the hierophant right next to it. The query was how someone thinks about a certain person (smh meaning my POI towards me). I use Spellcasters Tarot, and the symbolism with those two cards next to each other was extreme. I can’t quite figure out what it’s implying, although I have a few guesses. I’ve attached photos to show just how uncanny those two cards “feel” next to each other. I’d love to hear ideas!

Wow...yeah those two cards feel really intense together. Especially from Spellcasters which is a deck I'm not familiar with but the imagery is vivid. And a bit different from standard decks. Usually the people kneeling before the Hierophant are clothed while the ones with the Devil are not. It's a reference to the Garden of Eden and how Adam and Eve became aware that they were naked. Usually the couple are standing upright on the Devil and the chains are loose enough that they could throw them off but they don't. Like they are willing and almost proud to be in the state they are in. Here they really don't seem to have a choice, the collars are tight...yet, hmmn, the woman is chained with a flowering vine that she could surely break if she wanted to leave. But the chains are so short they can't even stand up.

Then on the Hierophant, the red cross and blocked out face reminds me of the Knights Templar. The hat points to an all-seeing eye in the pyramid. Strong reference to authority, domination, submission. On standard decks the people are not necessarily kneeling, it's a bit ambiguous, and there is no physical threat. But here, they are plainly kneeling before the whip. It's much more physical than how this card looks in other decks where the idea of authority and social hierarchy is more abstract. Here it is VERY physical and action oriented. It kind of makes you wonder how did this couple get here, why are they here, what did they do and what happens next. It's like they are being judged for something.

Okay...feelings...both cards show states of profound vulnerability. Feeling naked, vulnerable, maybe feeling powerless or trapped in some sense. I would guess there is a strong attraction and it seems totally mutual. But maybe it is so strong, it might be kind of overwhelming. Like it could make you question, how do I handle this. It might be something that other people notice.

The contrast between these two cards...again in traditional decks...is the Hierophant is very much about wanting to do the right thing. Doing what is right in the eyes of society, parents, community, elders, etc. It has a lot to do with what other people think.The Devil can be very much the opposite of that. It can be about deciding to go against what others think, but knowing that come what may you are in it together. In this deck, the woman seems very aware of being watched though, and alarmed by it, while the man is just indulging himself and not paying any mind to that. He's also not really paying much attention to her. He is focused on himself and his own pleasure.

When these two cards come up together, it can mean there is a conflict between wanting different things. It's like the cards are portraying a similar situation but with very different outcomes. The conflict could be that these two people who are portrayed on the cards want different things, or it could be a conflict within one of those people. Like do you walk the straight and narrow, or do you go on the wild side. It could even be where someone has two different sides to themselves or they act one way during the day and another way when they go out at night. It could even be a Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde type of persona. They could be very good at keeping these two sides separated. So for feelings I would wonder if they compartmentalize their feelings.

For feelings, The Hierophant can mean suppressing feelings or putting those feelings aside, especially for sake of appearances or social propriety. The Devil seems like it could mean the opposite, going with what you feel, but it's often much more about denial. It can be someone wanting to avoid their genuine feelings by focusing on something materialistic or hedonistic. The Devil can also mean feeling strongly attached to someone but taking it for granted, like when a man calls his wife "the old ball and chain." When it comes to feelings, the Devil tends to mean that feelings run deep, but it runs so deep that the person may be able to distance themselves from it or numb it out. Maybe they put things out of their mind. It can mean someone going through the motions, acting on instinct, not being fully present. The Hierophant is much more about being present and aware of what is going on and what the potential consequences are. It can refer to a person who meditates or prays or focuses a lot of concentration on something. It can mean using the power of the mind to control feelings.

I also wonder, when I see these two cards together, if there are other people or circumstances interfering between two people...rarely anything like a third party love interest, but it could be something like friends who meddle, or parents who disapprove. Or a situation where people who work together have to keep things quiet at work. It could be that both people work long hours or go to school and are constantly busy. It could even be something like a legal issue that gets in the way. There's just something about how both cards have something standing over the couple and more or less determining their fate.

Still tired, your insight is profound! You are very gifted at gleaning information from the small details and the larger focal points on the cards, and then assessing how they may be intertwined. Any ideas about the crescent moon she’s holding behind her back? I can’t seem to figure it out, yet I know it’s significant. It’s almost as if she’s hiding it.

The other day I pulled the devil card with the hierophant right next to it. The query was how someone thinks about a certain person (smh meaning my POI towards me). I use Spellcasters Tarot, and the symbolism with those two cards next to each other was extreme. I can’t quite figure out what it’s implying, although I have a few guesses. I’ve attached photos to show just how uncanny those two cards “feel” next to each other. I’d love to hear ideas!

Wow...yeah those two cards feel really intense together. Especially from Spellcasters which is a deck I'm not familiar with but the imagery is vivid. And a bit different from standard decks. Usually the people kneeling before the Hierophant are clothed while the ones with the Devil are not. It's a reference to the Garden of Eden and how Adam and Eve became aware that they were naked. Usually the couple are standing upright on the Devil and the chains are loose enough that they could throw them off but they don't. Like they are willing and almost proud to be in the state they are in. Here they really don't seem to have a choice, the collars are tight...yet, hmmn, the woman is chained with a flowering vine that she could surely break if she wanted to leave. But the chains are so short they can't even stand up.

Then on the Hierophant, the red cross and blocked out face reminds me of the Knights Templar. The hat points to an all-seeing eye in the pyramid. Strong reference to authority, domination, submission. On standard decks the people are not necessarily kneeling, it's a bit ambiguous, and there is no physical threat. But here, they are plainly kneeling before the whip. It's much more physical than how this card looks in other decks where the idea of authority and social hierarchy is more abstract. Here it is VERY physical and action oriented. It kind of makes you wonder how did this couple get here, why are they here, what did they do and what happens next. It's like they are being judged for something.

Okay...feelings...both cards show states of profound vulnerability. Feeling naked, vulnerable, maybe feeling powerless or trapped in some sense. I would guess there is a strong attraction and it seems totally mutual. But maybe it is so strong, it might be kind of overwhelming. Like it could make you question, how do I handle this. It might be something that other people notice.

The contrast between these two cards...again in traditional decks...is the Hierophant is very much about wanting to do the right thing. Doing what is right in the eyes of society, parents, community, elders, etc. It has a lot to do with what other people think.The Devil can be very much the opposite of that. It can be about deciding to go against what others think, but knowing that come what may you are in it together. In this deck, the woman seems very aware of being watched though, and alarmed by it, while the man is just indulging himself and not paying any mind to that. He's also not really paying much attention to her. He is focused on himself and his own pleasure.

When these two cards come up together, it can mean there is a conflict between wanting different things. It's like the cards are portraying a similar situation but with very different outcomes. The conflict could be that these two people who are portrayed on the cards want different things, or it could be a conflict within one of those people. Like do you walk the straight and narrow, or do you go on the wild side. It could even be where someone has two different sides to themselves or they act one way during the day and another way when they go out at night. It could even be a Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde type of persona. They could be very good at keeping these two sides separated. So for feelings I would wonder if they compartmentalize their feelings.

For feelings, The Hierophant can mean suppressing feelings or putting those feelings aside, especially for sake of appearances or social propriety. The Devil seems like it could mean the opposite, going with what you feel, but it's often much more about denial. It can be someone wanting to avoid their genuine feelings by focusing on something materialistic or hedonistic. The Devil can also mean feeling strongly attached to someone but taking it for granted, like when a man calls his wife "the old ball and chain." When it comes to feelings, the Devil tends to mean that feelings run deep, but it runs so deep that the person may be able to distance themselves from it or numb it out. Maybe they put things out of their mind. It can mean someone going through the motions, acting on instinct, not being fully present. The Hierophant is much more about being present and aware of what is going on and what the potential consequences are. It can refer to a person who meditates or prays or focuses a lot of concentration on something. It can mean using the power of the mind to control feelings.

I also wonder, when I see these two cards together, if there are other people or circumstances interfering between two people...rarely anything like a third party love interest, but it could be something like friends who meddle, or parents who disapprove. Or a situation where people who work together have to keep things quiet at work. It could be that both people work long hours or go to school and are constantly busy. It could even be something like a legal issue that gets in the way. There's just something about how both cards have something standing over the couple and more or less determining their fate.

Still tired, your insight is profound! You are very gifted at gleaning information from the small details and the larger focal points on the cards, and then assessing how they may be intertwined. Any ideas about the crescent moon she’s holding behind her back? I can’t seem to figure it out, yet I know it’s significant. It’s almost as if she’s hiding it.

The other day I pulled the devil card with the hierophant right next to it. The query was how someone thinks about a certain person (smh meaning my POI towards me). I use Spellcasters Tarot, and the symbolism with those two cards next to each other was extreme. I can’t quite figure out what it’s implying, although I have a few guesses. I’ve attached photos to show just how uncanny those two cards “feel” next to each other. I’d love to hear ideas!

Wow...yeah those two cards feel really intense together. Especially from Spellcasters which is a deck I'm not familiar with but the imagery is vivid. And a bit different from standard decks. Usually the people kneeling before the Hierophant are clothed while the ones with the Devil are not. It's a reference to the Garden of Eden and how Adam and Eve became aware that they were naked. Usually the couple are standing upright on the Devil and the chains are loose enough that they could throw them off but they don't. Like they are willing and almost proud to be in the state they are in. Here they really don't seem to have a choice, the collars are tight...yet, hmmn, the woman is chained with a flowering vine that she could surely break if she wanted to leave. But the chains are so short they can't even stand up.

Then on the Hierophant, the red cross and blocked out face reminds me of the Knights Templar. The hat points to an all-seeing eye in the pyramid. Strong reference to authority, domination, submission. On standard decks the people are not necessarily kneeling, it's a bit ambiguous, and there is no physical threat. But here, they are plainly kneeling before the whip. It's much more physical than how this card looks in other decks where the idea of authority and social hierarchy is more abstract. Here it is VERY physical and action oriented. It kind of makes you wonder how did this couple get here, why are they here, what did they do and what happens next. It's like they are being judged for something.

Okay...feelings...both cards show states of profound vulnerability. Feeling naked, vulnerable, maybe feeling powerless or trapped in some sense. I would guess there is a strong attraction and it seems totally mutual. But maybe it is so strong, it might be kind of overwhelming. Like it could make you question, how do I handle this. It might be something that other people notice.

The contrast between these two cards...again in traditional decks...is the Hierophant is very much about wanting to do the right thing. Doing what is right in the eyes of society, parents, community, elders, etc. It has a lot to do with what other people think.The Devil can be very much the opposite of that. It can be about deciding to go against what others think, but knowing that come what may you are in it together. In this deck, the woman seems very aware of being watched though, and alarmed by it, while the man is just indulging himself and not paying any mind to that. He's also not really paying much attention to her. He is focused on himself and his own pleasure.

When these two cards come up together, it can mean there is a conflict between wanting different things. It's like the cards are portraying a similar situation but with very different outcomes. The conflict could be that these two people who are portrayed on the cards want different things, or it could be a conflict within one of those people. Like do you walk the straight and narrow, or do you go on the wild side. It could even be where someone has two different sides to themselves or they act one way during the day and another way when they go out at night. It could even be a Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde type of persona. They could be very good at keeping these two sides separated. So for feelings I would wonder if they compartmentalize their feelings.

For feelings, The Hierophant can mean suppressing feelings or putting those feelings aside, especially for sake of appearances or social propriety. The Devil seems like it could mean the opposite, going with what you feel, but it's often much more about denial. It can be someone wanting to avoid their genuine feelings by focusing on something materialistic or hedonistic. The Devil can also mean feeling strongly attached to someone but taking it for granted, like when a man calls his wife "the old ball and chain." When it comes to feelings, the Devil tends to mean that feelings run deep, but it runs so deep that the person may be able to distance themselves from it or numb it out. Maybe they put things out of their mind. It can mean someone going through the motions, acting on instinct, not being fully present. The Hierophant is much more about being present and aware of what is going on and what the potential consequences are. It can refer to a person who meditates or prays or focuses a lot of concentration on something. It can mean using the power of the mind to control feelings.

I also wonder, when I see these two cards together, if there are other people or circumstances interfering between two people...rarely anything like a third party love interest, but it could be something like friends who meddle, or parents who disapprove. Or a situation where people who work together have to keep things quiet at work. It could be that both people work long hours or go to school and are constantly busy. It could even be something like a legal issue that gets in the way. There's just something about how both cards have something standing over the couple and more or less determining their fate.

Still tired, your insight is profound! You are very gifted at gleaning information from the small details and the larger focal points on the cards, and then assessing how they may be intertwined. Any ideas about the crescent moon she’s holding behind her back? I can’t seem to figure it out, yet I know it’s significant. It’s almost as if she’s hiding it.

Thank you. I don't know about the moon, I was puzzled by that detail. If I was familiar with the deck I might have a better idea what the artist intended. It is almost like she's hiding it but then again there's really nowhere to hide it. It could be symbolic of restraint. I mean the pose is like she's wearing handcuffs, but it's voluntary. Emotional restraint?

The other day I pulled the devil card with the hierophant right next to it. The query was how someone thinks about a certain person (smh meaning my POI towards me). I use Spellcasters Tarot, and the symbolism with those two cards next to each other was extreme. I can’t quite figure out what it’s implying, although I have a few guesses. I’ve attached photos to show just how uncanny those two cards “feel” next to each other. I’d love to hear ideas!

Wow...yeah those two cards feel really intense together. Especially from Spellcasters which is a deck I'm not familiar with but the imagery is vivid. And a bit different from standard decks. Usually the people kneeling before the Hierophant are clothed while the ones with the Devil are not. It's a reference to the Garden of Eden and how Adam and Eve became aware that they were naked. Usually the couple are standing upright on the Devil and the chains are loose enough that they could throw them off but they don't. Like they are willing and almost proud to be in the state they are in. Here they really don't seem to have a choice, the collars are tight...yet, hmmn, the woman is chained with a flowering vine that she could surely break if she wanted to leave. But the chains are so short they can't even stand up.

Then on the Hierophant, the red cross and blocked out face reminds me of the Knights Templar. The hat points to an all-seeing eye in the pyramid. Strong reference to authority, domination, submission. On standard decks the people are not necessarily kneeling, it's a bit ambiguous, and there is no physical threat. But here, they are plainly kneeling before the whip. It's much more physical than how this card looks in other decks where the idea of authority and social hierarchy is more abstract. Here it is VERY physical and action oriented. It kind of makes you wonder how did this couple get here, why are they here, what did they do and what happens next. It's like they are being judged for something.

Okay...feelings...both cards show states of profound vulnerability. Feeling naked, vulnerable, maybe feeling powerless or trapped in some sense. I would guess there is a strong attraction and it seems totally mutual. But maybe it is so strong, it might be kind of overwhelming. Like it could make you question, how do I handle this. It might be something that other people notice.

The contrast between these two cards...again in traditional decks...is the Hierophant is very much about wanting to do the right thing. Doing what is right in the eyes of society, parents, community, elders, etc. It has a lot to do with what other people think.The Devil can be very much the opposite of that. It can be about deciding to go against what others think, but knowing that come what may you are in it together. In this deck, the woman seems very aware of being watched though, and alarmed by it, while the man is just indulging himself and not paying any mind to that. He's also not really paying much attention to her. He is focused on himself and his own pleasure.

When these two cards come up together, it can mean there is a conflict between wanting different things. It's like the cards are portraying a similar situation but with very different outcomes. The conflict could be that these two people who are portrayed on the cards want different things, or it could be a conflict within one of those people. Like do you walk the straight and narrow, or do you go on the wild side. It could even be where someone has two different sides to themselves or they act one way during the day and another way when they go out at night. It could even be a Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde type of persona. They could be very good at keeping these two sides separated. So for feelings I would wonder if they compartmentalize their feelings.

For feelings, The Hierophant can mean suppressing feelings or putting those feelings aside, especially for sake of appearances or social propriety. The Devil seems like it could mean the opposite, going with what you feel, but it's often much more about denial. It can be someone wanting to avoid their genuine feelings by focusing on something materialistic or hedonistic. The Devil can also mean feeling strongly attached to someone but taking it for granted, like when a man calls his wife "the old ball and chain." When it comes to feelings, the Devil tends to mean that feelings run deep, but it runs so deep that the person may be able to distance themselves from it or numb it out. Maybe they put things out of their mind. It can mean someone going through the motions, acting on instinct, not being fully present. The Hierophant is much more about being present and aware of what is going on and what the potential consequences are. It can refer to a person who meditates or prays or focuses a lot of concentration on something. It can mean using the power of the mind to control feelings.

I also wonder, when I see these two cards together, if there are other people or circumstances interfering between two people...rarely anything like a third party love interest, but it could be something like friends who meddle, or parents who disapprove. Or a situation where people who work together have to keep things quiet at work. It could be that both people work long hours or go to school and are constantly busy. It could even be something like a legal issue that gets in the way. There's just something about how both cards have something standing over the couple and more or less determining their fate.

Still tired, your insight is profound! You are very gifted at gleaning information from the small details and the larger focal points on the cards, and then assessing how they may be intertwined. Any ideas about the crescent moon she’s holding behind her back? I can’t seem to figure it out, yet I know it’s significant. It’s almost as if she’s hiding it.

Thank you. I don't know about the moon, I was puzzled by that detail. If I was familiar with the deck I might have a better idea what the artist intended. It is almost like she's hiding it but then again there's really nowhere to hide it. It could be symbolic of restraint. I mean the pose is like she's wearing handcuffs, but it's voluntary. Emotional restraint?

I looked up the rest of the deck and saw the Queen of Cups is sitting on a throne with a crescent moon above her head. When the Queen of Cups is upright on her throne she represents emotional intelligence and intuition.

There's also a crescent moon on The Fool, hanging low in the sky, below the sun and below his foot, showing that he is not using his intuition.

On the Two of Swords, the lady has a similar pose since she's holding the swords behind her back, which is unusual because usually the swords are held in front. So I feel like the Hierophant is referencing that too. Two of Swords basically means not taking action, restraint, holding back, keeping the peace, maybe looking past things for sake of that.

The lady on the Hierophant is having to work a bit harder to hold that pose...the man has his hands on the ground (more grounded?) She has to hold something back. It could be holding back her feelings, or holding back on an intuition she has about something. Looking at the Devil again, the lady there seems to know something that the man is not aware of.

I immediately thought the crescent had to do with rebirth, crescent new moon and all of that. It could be emotional restraint as ST said because she's trying to hide it, but it's still very much there and obvious. Moon = emotions, intuition. The possibility of rebirth, it's there, but not quite at the forefront. And as mentioned, it's being held back but not really, it could come out at any minute. Just my two cents, nowhere near ST's interpretation

I pulled two cards and got the 2 of swords and the empress. The query was how my POI feels about his current fling. Does this mean he feels stuck in the relationship and she's pressuring him to be more?

I then pulled two more cards in relation to what will happen with him and I and I got the Queen of cups and the page of pentacles. no idea what that means

I pulled two cards and got the 2 of swords and the empress. The query was how my POI feels about his current fling. Does this mean he feels stuck in the relationship and she's pressuring him to be more?

I then pulled two more cards in relation to what will happen with him and I and I got the Queen of cups and the page of pentacles. no idea what that means

idk, I'd say 2 of swords just probably means he doesn't yet have those deep romantic feelings for her/there's a bit of a disconnect but with the Empress he doesn't view her in a negative light. The Empress as feelings I'd say he cares about her, could feel a bit protective and feels fondly about her.

To me those two future cards together speak of an upcoming struggle you'll overcome, having to be grown up and mature about it and looking after your own best interests

I pulled two cards and got the 2 of swords and the empress. The query was how my POI feels about his current fling. Does this mean he feels stuck in the relationship and she's pressuring him to be more?

I then pulled two more cards in relation to what will happen with him and I and I got the Queen of cups and the page of pentacles. no idea what that means

2 of swords is a bit tricky...for feelings it usually means that feelings are blocked in some way. Like something is there under the surface but the person chooses to deny or ignore it. It can also mean having contradictory feelings or being of two minds about something. The two of swords is a person who doesn't see things clearly. They think they are being rational but they are missing something or they are not using their intuition. The two relates to the High Priestess which is about knowing without needing to see all the facts. It's when you have a deep intuition and you just know. Two of swords is not in touch with that. It can be someone who is blinded by the light.

The suit of swords is not really feelings-friendly. It is much more about the mind. The Ace is the pure power of the mind ready to think or speak. It is knowing through rationality from an "I" perspective. As the suit progresses to the 2, the mind is confronted with something beyond what it already knows. A different person, perspective, etc. It could take some time for the person to genuinely recognize what they are seeing. At that point it progresses to the 3 and leads to heartache. I'm not saying that the 2 of swords in a reading always leads to heartache, but it carries that potential. Theoretically within a reading, a pip card can progress to any number, or can go backwards. But here it immediately relates to a 3 with the Empress.

The Empress symbolizes the full flowering of intuition and feminine knowing represented by the High Priestess. When you have her next to a card like 2 of swords which is blocking the energy of the Priestess, it feels like it could be a volatile situation. The Empress may be ill-dignified by that card combination. When the Empress is well-placed she represents attraction, caring, nurturing etc. but when ill-dignified there could be jealousy, neediness, anger under the surface. Whatever it is, two of swords is not facing up to it. And it can be a slow moving card where things get stuck for awhile.

I feel like those two cards together, 2 of swords and Empress, are saying that there is a strong attraction but it is unstable. It's like when you just like someone so much that you are willing to overlook a lot of problems or faults. At some point the shine wears off a little and people start arguing over those things, or disillusionment sets in. With the Empress it can mean putting someone on a pedestal, and then realizing they are only human after all. 2 of swords just doesn't see it yet.

With the Page of Pentacles though, it looks like he continues to stay in a dream world about it. This page is often pegged as a student or someone who is focused on material concerns. But it essentially represents concentration, or daydreaming. The Page holds a pentacle and gazes at it, and seems rather oblivious to anything else. The pentacle could easily slip from the page's fingers. Pentacles relate to the Empress and Venus/Taurus. The orbital path of Venus is a pentagram. This page can be someone who is dazzled by feminine energy or by beautiful women. It can also be like the 2 of swords, someone who doesn't quite see things clearly. They are so focused on this one thing, they lose sight of what else is around them.

The Queen of Cups, in most decks, gazes at her chalice much like the Page gazes at his pentacle. But the meaning is so different. Her cup represents everything that is within her and the depth of her feelings. She is able to reflect on her feelings and look within, which is what the 2 of swords chooses not to do, and the Page of Pentacles forgets to do. The Page of Pentacles is not really mature enough for her.

I hope this helps. I wanted to go into the last 2 cards more but it's late and my eyes won't stay open.